Island
by Aldous Huxley · first published 1962
50% recommend48% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
Huxley's utopian counterpart to Brave New World, set on a Buddhist island that uses science for medicine and nutrition. Valued for its open education and psychedelics; suits Huxley fans wanting hope after dystopia.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The final novel from Aldous Huxley, Island is a provocative counterpoint to his worldwide classic Brave New World, in which a flourishing, ideal society located on a remote Pacific island attracts the envy of the outside world.
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It's a real shame that Huxley's final novel Island, written after his first exposure to actual psychedelics, gets so little press compared to Brave New World. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_(Huxley_novel) But apparently the world wasn't ready…
on “Remembering Huxley's “Brave New World”” ↗…way of being brings me joy and contentment, and allows me to share that with others. I am small. I am finite in time and space. I am dust. This is good. This is beautiful. Final final aside: Huxley’s Island explores quite a bit of this, actually, and it’s a great read either way.
on “The hypersane are among us, if only we are prepared to look” ↗…Heinlein - A classic SciFi novel that digs deep on relationships, politics, and religion. Like a lot of old SciFi, it's filled with blatant sexism. If you can look past that, it has a lot of great lessons. Island by Aldous Huxley - a beautiful look at alternative societal structures, psychedelics, and the cruelty of the western world overcoming sacred places.
on “Ask HN: What books have most influenced the way you see the world?” ↗Island, by Huxley "Will Farnaby is a cynical journalist shipwrecked on the fictional island of Pala, a Buddhist paradise where modern science and technology is embraced only insofar as it can improve medicine…
on “The Rise of Dystopian Fiction” ↗…about, our shared humanity is strong enough to lead us to have similar experiences and (somewhat) similar explanations for what we experience. On an unrelated note, I would like to recommend Huxley's Island as a nice outline of what a realistic utopia might look like.
on “Perennial philosophy” ↗Island by Aldous Huxley It's basically the opposite of his better-known Brave New World. It offers a fresh take on how a small isolated society can live, largely inspired (as I see it) by indigenous culture.
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗"Island" - Aldous Huxley. "Principles" - Ray Dalio. "On the shortness of life" - Seneca.
on “Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?” ↗…to Macedonia. Direct combat is expensive and risky. But an utter failure at self-preservation (or in securing suitable patronage) tends to end badly. To invoke another mid-century classic, Huxley's Island. "Here and now, boys!"
on “Amazon turned off customer’s Kindle account, blocking her from her books (2012)” ↗Transhumanist philosopher David Pearce has a fascinating piece arguing along these lines. The dystopic Brave New World "has come to serve as the false symbol for any regime of universal happiness", and Island offers a counterpoint, however hardly anybody has read it compared to Brave New World: https://www.huxley.net/
on “Remembering Huxley's “Brave New World”” ↗Check out the book Island, by Aldous Huxley. Came out in 1962 and the whole island is covered in surveillance devices made to look like birds.
on “Birds aren't real – how to create your own "bird"” ↗Ooh that's tough. Solarpunk and hightech don't mix! For consolation: Book: Aldous Huxley, Island (Rumor has it Leo Dicaprio is adapting it) Anime: Nausicaa Like Gibson would say, solarpunk is already here: https://youtu.be/JAobfMSX9dg (That's the plane from Nausicaa) There's also the Chobani…
on “What Was Cyberpunk? In Memoriam: 1980-2020 (2020)” ↗Island by Aldous Huxley
on “Ask HN: What books have been worth your time?” ↗…subdivision among Alphas, Betas, Gammas or Deltas”) savage (“a person outside the integrated portions of society, and therefore separate from all classes”) Since we're referencing Huxley, I'd recommend "Island". And for everyone jumping on this dystopian bandwagon, I'd recommend "Stand on Zanzibar" as far more accurate.
on “The most telling part of “1984″ is the appendix” ↗I totally agree. If you're in to BNW I'd recommend Huxley's little known follow up 'Island'. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_(Huxley_novel) He shows that all the same technologies that the characters of BNW use to chain people to the state, can also be used to set them free. Habits can…
on “Show HN: Dopamine API – Turn any app into a habit” ↗Have you read Huxley's sequel to Brave New World? It's called "The Island." In it all of the technologies from BNW are used to set people free; to enhance the human condition. I stand with Nir (and Huxley). These technologies are powerful, but that doesn't make them evil.…
on “Manipulating Human Psychology To Turn Users Into Addicts” ↗